Amnesiac in America
by KESwriter
Summary: Yaz, Ryan and Graham witness what appears to be the Doctor's death at the hands of the Master. Four years later, Yaz starts having dreams that the Doctor needs her. In Philadelphia, Calista, an alien the Doctor saved in his Eleventh form, has grown up to work as a psychologist where an abused amnesiac Jane Doe recognizes her. Together they will have to work to protect the Doctor.
1. Chapter 1

Yaz, Ryan and Graham witness what appears to be the Doctor's death at the hands of the Master. Four years later, Yaz starts having dreams that the Doctor needs her. In Philadelphia, Calista, an alien the Doctor saved in his Eleventh form, has grown up to work as a psychologist. An abused amnesiac Jane Doe recognizes her. The Master is still at large and Calista and Yaz will have to find each other to keep the Doctor safe.

Amnesiac in America

I will never forget when the Doctor died.

The Master was destroying planets across the universe. The Doctor, Graham, Ryan, and I finally caught up with him on an already burning planet.

"Stop this!" the Doctor pleaded. "Stop the killing!"

"I'll only stop one condition," he said. "You be my last kill."

"I don't believe you," she said. "You'll keep killing afterwards."

The Master pulled out his tissue compressor. There were six people. He walked over to the nearest flames.

"NO!" she screamed.

"On your knees," he said.

"Doctor no!" I cried.

"Just don't kill them or my friends," she said as she kneeled down.

"Fine," he said. "They can be witnesses."

"Give Yaz the people," the Doctor said.

He sighed and tossed me the screaming pocket-sized people.

"Doc!" Graham cried.

"Please," Ryan said.

The Master laughed.

"It's going to be okay," the Doctor, said looking at us. "I love you all."

There were tears in her eyes.

The Master pulled out a white space gun and shot her in the head. Her body dissolved until there was nothing left but her clothes.

Graham held me as I screamed.

"Get out!" the Master said. "Get out and tell the universe there is a new sheriff and his name is the Master!"

Graham and Ryan dragged me into the TARDIS. We managed to find a planet drop off the compressed beings and revert them to their original size. The TARDIS then dropped us off at home. The minute we stepped out, it disappeared.

That was four years ago. Stars keep going out and scientists can't figure out why. Alien abduction stories fill the fringe news sites. The world is a darker place since the Doctor died.

Three weeks ago, I started having odd dreams. The Doctor would appear with single message.

"Come find me."

…

My name Calisobala Ak Melbodonia. I come from the planet Newmania. It was invaded by the Daleks. My parents were killed when I was six, in front of me by them. I was next when a man in a bowtie distracted them and ordered me to hide. He found me later, crying in the attic. Calling himself the Doctor, he looked around for someone take me in. My village, my planet had been decimated. I was the last of my kind. He took me in his spaceship that resembled a blue box that was bigger on the inside. We traveled to different planets looking for a new home for me. On Earth he found a woman named Elvira, in America who took in alien refugees. I took on the name Calista Melbon

A year later Elvira was killed by alien hunters, who were never apprehended. I was put in foster care in Philadelphia. They put me in special classes, because I didn't know my ABCs or speak English particularly well. I learned from Elvira to hide my alien heritage as I resembled a human in biology. Still, I was bullied mercilessly. I managed to get in to Penn State and then life got easier.

Today I am a staff psychologist at Lambert-Adams Behavior Health Hospital in Philadelphia. I enjoy my work. No one knows my secret. I prefer to keep it that way.

It was the start of another day. My supervisor met with those of us who worked with trauma-induced psychosis. She passed me a file.

"Meet Jane Doe of Wilson Avenue," she said. "She is mute and doesn't respond well to directions."

I skimmed the file. In her late thirties, with blond hair and blue eyes, in the she looked malnourished. There were signs of abuse.

"Did anyone look for a missing person's report on her?"

"The police did, after they found her sleeping in a snow bank wearing nothing but a white dress with odd black markings on it. Detective Mark Webb wants you to keep him informed on your progress."

"Duly noted," I said.

I took the report into my office and added it to my pile. Nothing about the case struck me as particularly odd at the time.

…

I met her in an observation room with soft surfaces and gentle lighting. She was curled up in a corner shaking. Gently closing the door, and getting on her level, I cautiously approached her, as she was known to lash out if suddenly disturbed.

"Hi," I said softly.

Her glassy eyes suddenly changed. She stopped shaking. A smile appeared.

"Calisobala!" she said excitedly. "What a fine young woman you've grown into!"

She didn't say any of that in English. To the average human, my native language sounded like gibberish.

"Do you speak English?" I asked.

"Are you a Doctor?" she asked in Newmanian. "Your parents would be so proud!"

This was the quandary of my life. Help the patient and expose my identity or pretend to be the befuddled doctor I should be.

I nodded. This was going to be tricky.

"Are you from Newmania?" I asked in Newmanian but purposely making mistakes.

"You've forgotten your home language," she said. "I don't know where I'm from."

"What is the last thing you remember?" I asked in broken Newmanian.

She turned away.

"Bad things. I was hurt constantly. They didn't give me enough to eat. Most of my body was blue with bruises. They liked my hair. My hair was kept clean and trimmed nicely. The rest of my body was broken.

"Who is they?" I asked in Newmanian.

"The Cusickians," she said. "My body was sold to them."

"What is your name?" I asked.

She slammed her fist on the ground.

"I don't know. I don't know! The called me Prisoner Delta. That was all I was until I broke free and found a transmat and beamed myself to the last place I felt safe. I don't know who I am!"

She burst into tears.

"Enough for today," I said gently.

"Calisobala, help me!" she cried. "Help me remember. Help me find my home!"

"I promise, I'll help you," I said and stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I left the room. The care assistants stared at me in shock.

"Hello," I said in Newmanian and then reverted to English. "I repeated the gibberish in soothing tones. She thinks we had a great conversation."

I left before they could ask any more questions.

Once I was safely in my office, I sighed. I didn't doubt the fact she was an alien. From what planet, I wasn't sure. It was too much to hope that she was of my kind.

The Cusickians had abducted my maternal aunt before I was born. She was quiet and easily spooked, my mom told me bad things had happened to her while in their custody before she escaped.

Odd things had been happening for a while now. Something wasn't right in the universe. I felt it in my alien bones. This woman might be the key to unlocking everything.


	2. Chapter 2

"Yaz help me!" the Doctor cried. "I'm scared."

She was dressed in her typical outfit. The background was dark.

"Tell me where you are!" I cried. "I'll come to you and help. I promise."

"I don't know where I am," she sobbed. "I barely know who I am. I'm so horribly lost Yaz!"

"Doctor," I cried. "Just give me a clue. Try to remember something. I don't care where you are. I'll find a way to get you."

"Please!" she said.

She suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream and was dragged down into the darkness.

…

I woke up breathing heavily.

"Doctor," I said.

I hugged my knees.

"Oh, where are you Doctor?"

I looked out into the glimpse of sky I could see through my curtains. She had to be somewhere.

…

Philadelphia:

I thought about my people on Newmania as I jogged. We were a peaceful society compared to that of earth. Slightly socialistic, we never hesitated to help each other. But we also didn't have an advanced weapons array, which made us vulnerable to the Daleks.

Some people managed to escape I know. My parents were making desperate calls to friends who had simple planet hopper spacecraft. They were both still calling people when the Daleks slammed through our doors.

My gut told me this woman wasn't from Newmania. The language Newmanian comes from another planet, like English became the main language of the United States. I don't know where it comes from, as it wasn't covered in the American equivalent of kindergarten.

I took a deep breath at the end of my jog. This woman was getting under my skin. If people knew, they wouldn't blame me. Professionally, I didn't like it though.

…

There was a man waiting by my office door when I arrived. He had short, neatly trimmed brown hair, while wearing a gray wool coat over a suit that looked to be off the rack.

"I'm Detective Mark Webb," he said with a smile. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," I said. "Come in."

I turned on the lights, hung up my jacket, and gestured for him to sit down while I did the same.

"I'm seeking information on my Wilson Avenue Jane Doe," he said.

"My supervisor had told me as much," I said. "I planned on writing you a report after a few sessions."

"I have sources indicating you had a breakthrough with her," he said.

"Tell me their names I'll get them reprimanded for breaking confidentiality rules," I said seriously.

"Dr. Melbon, I wouldn't be seeking out sources if I thought this woman was your typical homeless case. I think this woman was left for dead on one of the coldest days on record."

"Okay," I said. "What is missing from the report that makes you think she isn't just a homeless woman?"

"Her hair," he said. "There was only I'd estimate a day of grease in it at the most. It was smooth and well-coifed while the rest of her body was a mess."

They liked her hair the Jane Doe had told me. That was why it was so clean.

"I don't believe breaking confidentiality Detective Webb," I said carefully. "I will say this though: Some people when faced with trauma revert to a child-like state. In rare cases it can go back as far as before they could speak a coherent language."

"How would you respond to a situation like that?" he asked.

"By speaking in a way that is reassuring. If the patient likes to talk like a toddler, I'll engage him or her on that level."

"Interesting," he said.

"I really don't have much to add," I said. "I am in the very early stages of developing a relationship with her. You have to give me more time."

"But I sense you're holding something back," he said. "Tell me."

He had no idea. I had to throw him a bone, or he might do some serious snooping about me.

"I will tell you when I feel it is relevant to the recovery of Jane Doe's identity," I said.

"That's all for now, Dr. Melbon," he said as he got up. "I'll be in touch."

"And I'll keep you informed," I said.

"Have a good day," he said and left.

I sat back in my chair. I really didn't need this. Unlocking the identity of Jane Doe promised to be a difficult task without a detective monitoring my every move.

…

She was in the same position as I found her last time. She looked more scared this time.

"Calisobala," she moaned in Newmanian. "Help me."

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"I was held naked in a cell for I don't know how long. It felt like forever" she said as tears streamed down. "I was so cold. I thought they were going to freeze me to death. The food they threw in once a day was barely edible, it was mostly burnt bread and slime with a tiny cup of something like water. Eventually guards came in at night warmed me up by inserting themselves in me. I feel so dirty!"

She was sobbing uncontrollably now.

"I want to go home!" she cried. "Help me go home. Please!"

"Where is home?" I asked.

"A woman," she said. "I can't remember her name, but her skin is a shade darker than yours and she has dark hair. Her name was slightly long, but she likes to shorten it. I can't remember anything!"

"I'm going to help you," I said. "You need to try to remember English if you know it. We're on Earth. I think they're beginning to suspect something weird is going on between us."

She looked at me curiously.

"The way you say English, is funny," she said in English.

I cheered mentally.

"Do you know where you are?" I asked.

"I don't know," she said. "Everything is fuzzy. One minute I'm being whipped until my back bleeds. Next, I'm freezing again, and then warm in a place, where they look at you like you're mad."

Her accent was English.

"Are you from England?"

Despite sobbing earlier, she snorted.

"No," she said. "I'm from some place stranger. I don't know where. I wish I knew!"

She was getting upset again.

"You're in Philadelphia," I said.

"In America?" she said. "I haven't seen much cinema but isn't there a famous stair-climbing scene? I always wanted to try that."

She couldn't remember her name, yet as a woman with an English accent, she knew about Rocky.

I smiled.

"Yes. You're making great progress," I said.

"Even though I don't know my name?" she said. "Or how I got here. I can't stop thinking about what they did to me. I'm so scared of my own mind."

"I know," I said. "We're going to work on that. Is there anything I can get you to make you more comfortable here?"

"The food is so bland here," she said. "All I've known is bland. Can I have some custard? I don't even know what it is but the word feels nice on my tongue. I think I like it."

"I'll see what I can do," I said and got up.

"Calisobala," she said. "Do they know who you are?"

"I haven't introduced myself. My name is Dr. Calista Melbon. I'm an American psychologist here at Lambert-Adams Behavioral Health Hospital."

"I see," she said carefully.

She understood what I was hiding. This woman was weaving in out of fugues of terror, but she recognized I was hiding my alien background.

"I'll see about getting you some custard tonight," I said. "We'll meet again tomorrow."

"I look forward to it," she said with a weak smile.

I left the room and headed for the nutrition department. Suddenly I stopped and felt a wave of dizziness.

"_Fish fingers and custard always makes me feel better," the Doctor said._

"_It sounds disgusting," I said._

"_It is until you try it," he said happily. "Nothing is better than custard, except when fish fingers are added! Then it's the best!"_

The memory faded.

"Doctor?" I said softly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

She was curled up, laying on her side, shaking.

"Doctor?" I said.

"It's the eye of the tiger, it's thrill of the fight," she sang. "Risin' up to the challenge of our rival."

"Doctor, can you hear me?" I said.

"And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night/And he's watchin' us all with the eye of the tiger."

"Doctor!" I shouted.

She vanished into the darkness.

…

"No," I cried as I woke up.

The song sounded familiar. I didn't know where from. Pulling out my phone, I Googled some of the lyrics. It was the theme song for an American film called Rocky III. I was passingly familiar with the film about some sort of boxer, but didn't know much else. Why was the Doctor singing that song?

Things were getting only more confusing. I wish I knew where she was. How she was able to contact me. She seemed so scared, wherever she was. I felt so helpless, and desperate to find her.

…

Graham and I met for breakfast.

"So, you think the Doc is alive?" he said.

"I feel it in my gut Graham," I said. "I dream about her regularly, and sometimes she talks back to me. Last night she sang, of all things."

"It's been four years, Yaz," he said. "Why would she reach out to you now?"

"I don't know," I said. "Maybe the Master zapped her into some sort of prison?"

"With no clothes?"

"I know, the thought of what might have happened to her terrifies me. But what if she's close? What if she managed to escape?"

"After four years?"

"I know it doesn't make sense Graham, but I have to believe she's alive," I said. "I don't think it's wishful thinking. I think we've got to be ready to help find her."

"Maybe it's wishful thinking on my part too then," he said. "Because, I'm inclined to believe you."

"Thank you, Graham!" I said excitedly. "Where's Ryan?"

"Sleeping off a hangover," he said.

"On a Wednesday?" I said.

"He hasn't been doing good lately Yaz," Graham said. "He keeps reading those fringe news sites about aliens abducting people, invading small towns, and how history seems to have changed. It's messing him up, Yaz."

"I need to see him sometime," I said. "Explain what we believe."

"Be careful," he said. "All we have are dreams and a gut instinct. That's not a lot to pin hope on."

"It's all we have," I said. "And that's enough."

"Could you identify what song she sang?" Graham asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah," I said. "It was 'Eye of the Tiger' from an American film called Rocky III."

"That might be a clue to where she is," he said.

"How?" I asked.

"I don't know exactly," he said. "I'll do some digging on my own. You're not alone anymore, Yaz. We'll get Ryan to come around, and just maybe, we'll find her."

"It's all we can hope for," I said.

…

Philadelphia:

The Neptune Café wasn't as interesting as it sounds. It had a few planets hanging around, a faded mural of the solar system, and not much else. The owner preferred to keep it that way, as it deterred new customers. This is one of a few havens, in the area for alien refugees, and the clientele, preferred their privacy.

I met my foster brother Devlin, from my time with Elvira there for lunch. He was older than me by four years. Born with three nostrils and cat like features, Elvira paid to have most of them removed, when he came to earth through an alien resettlement program for orphans. After Elvira was killed, we lost contact until he found me after I graduated from Penn State. I loved him dearly.

"So, what's going on Cal?" he asked as he munched on fries.

"Have things gotten worse in the universe?" I asked. "I don't follow the fringe news that closely."

Devlin made a living out of collecting data on alien events. While I preferred to stay away from the alien community, he made a living off helping aliens who end up in the area and publishing news.

"Worse is the understatement of the universe, Cal," he said. "Aliens are arriving by the hundreds every month across Earth. There is a figure called the Master who keeps organizing war aliens to invade and destroy. It's a nightmare out there."

"Why hasn't he invaded Earth then?" I asked.

"My best guess is, he's saving us for last. I really don't know."

I took a sip of my iced tea.

"What is this really about Cal?" he asked. "We haven't talked in a couple weeks and suddenly you want to meet me."

I took a deep breath.

"I have an alien for a patient."

"That doesn't surprise me," he said. "I'd have expected it to be more common, honestly. What's bugging you about the case?"

"She reminds me of my rescuer. But Doctor was male, she's female."

"Ah the Doctor," he said. "You don't know how many aliens have told me they prayed for him to come and save them. Supposedly she died four years ago and that's why the Master has been able to go on a universe-wide killing spree."

"She?" I said.

"A few people have said he had become a she recently. Your rescuer can change faces. How did you not know that?"

"I was six at the time," I said angrily. "He just struck me as odd man who traveled in a spaceship that looked like a box from the outside."

"We're getting off track," he said. "You think you have the Doctor as your patient? Cal that is huge!"

"She's amnesiac, with signs of prolonged malnourishment, and torture," I said. "I have a lot of work to do with her."

"Jeez," he said. "Please keep me informed if she gets better. The world needs her."

"Thanks for telling me more about her," I said.

"Thank you," he said as he got up. "For giving me what the universe is in desperate need of: Hope."

…

She was agitated today.

"Why do they keep taking my clothes?" she cried. "I need them! I need them for warmth and dignity. I haven't had dignity in years!"

"They need to wash them," I said.

"But they don't smell," she said. "This place is ridiculous."

"This place is where you're going to get better."

"I tried offing myself in the bad place but they kept reviving me," she said. "I should have tried to off myself the minute I got here, but I was just so tired."

"The world needs people like you," I said. "Your kind, funny, and want to help people."

She looked at me closely.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Doctor," I said in Newmanian.

"Doesn't ring a bell," she said.

"You travel in a blue box that's bigger on the inside," I said in Newmanian.

"None of that sounds right!" she cried. "This world is a so loud and confusing."

I thought back to my time with the Doctor. I needed to jog her memory.

"You had to go through the library to get to the swimming pool," I said Newmania.

"I love swimming pools!" she said. "Everybody floats in the water. I used to love seeing how long I could hold my breath. I may have also helped invent the butterfly stroke while saving a drowning Australian."

I knew without question she was the Doctor. She sounded very similar to the version I knew. The same energy and love for life. This woman was my hero from thirty years ago.

"Needles," she said. "I hate them. Why do they keep using needles on me?"

"Because you get agitated easily," I said.

"You would too, if every touch you knew led to hurt! I hate being touched. Why can't people leave me alone!"

"No one wants to hurt you here," I said calmly. "We only want to help."

"I want my friends," she said. "I don't remember who they are. I just know they cared about me."

"I care about you," I said.

"But no one else here does," she said tearing up. "I'm just looked at like I'm mad. Maybe I am mad. Maybe this is all I deserve. This prison is nicer than the last one, but I'm still confined to four walls and people telling me what to do. I hate it."

She began to cry.

"Sweet child, sleep well," I sang in Newmanian. "Sweet child, the boogeyman can't catch you here. Sweet child my love is your shield. Nothing is as bad, when I am watching you."

She quickly fell asleep. I nearly burst into tears. I hadn't sung that song out loud since my parents died. It always put me to sleep quickly.

I silently left the room.

"Let her sleep there," I said. "When she wakes up, give her some custard and then take her to her room."

They nodded and I left. I walked to my office, and the minute I closed the door, I started to cry. I needed to help her. The universe depended on it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

The Doctor had her hood up and hiding her face behind her knees.

I had a mission this time.

"Doctor," she said urgently. "Are you in a place called Philadelphia?"

"Philadelphia?" she in a hushed tone.

"Yes," I said. "It's an American city."

"It rings a bell. There are white walls everywhere," she muttered.

I thought quickly.

"Could you be in mental hospital?"

"They all look at me like I'm mad. Except a woman I saved when she was a child, when I had a different face. Her name is Calisobala, but she goes by something simpler to hide her alien identity. I wish I remembered. Everything is so muddy. I can't think straight."

"Doctor, that's brilliant!" I said. "I can find you. I will find you. I promise."

"Yaz, I'm not doing so good here," she said. "Please help. I just so scared."

She vanished.

…

I looked at my clock. It was six a.m. I then reached for my phone.

"Graham I have a lead on where the Doctor is. Come with your computer. I'm calling in sick. Bring Ryan if you can."

I had just put a tea kettle on in my flat, when Graham knocked. I had moved out of my family's two years ago.

"Ryan won't answer his phone," he said. "What do you need?"

"A woman whose alien name is Calisobala is treating her at a Philadelphia mental hospital."

"That must have been quite a dream."

"Thank you, Graham for suggesting Philadelphia," I said.

"Philadelphia is a famous for a number of things: cheese steaks, the birth place of American democracy, and those Rocky films."

"This alien probably chose a name similar to her original name," I said. "We need to start looking through mental hospitals, one that would admit someone with amnesia."

"So public hospitals."

"Right," I said.

"Yaz how are you going to get the woman to talk to us?" Graham.

I had thought of this already.

"By using my police credentials," I said. "It should get me past the switch board."

"Let's get to work then."

We worked at it for a couple hours and called Ryan occasionally. He didn't pick up. There were so many hospitals in the area and not all of them had directories of doctors.

Then Graham hit paydirt.

"Calista Melbon," he said. "Trauma specialist at Lambert-Adams Behavioral Health Hospital."

"That has to be her," I said excitedly. "It is still a little early for Americans to be up though."

"You could leave a message," Graham said. "Those hospitals have to be open twenty-four/seven."

"You're right!" I said. "I'll call and then we wait."

"And hope she buys what we're selling," Graham said.

…

Philadelphia:

I had been called in early. My Jane Doe, the Doctor, had tried to kill herself.

When I arrived, she was still sedated in padded restraints.

I read the report. Apparently, she managed to find a screw from a chair and managed to pull it out. She tried to gouge her wrists with it. They found her before she could do serious damage. The last thing she said before she was sedated was: "I just want it to end!"

Next, I met with my supervisor.

"I know setbacks are to be expected," she said. "How far are you in finding her identity?"

"Wherever she was, she was tortured to the point of complete obedience," I said. "Her own name was beaten out of her."

"Is it just one abductor or multiple?"

"Multiple," I said. "She constantly uses the word 'they' and I don't think it's a hallucination."

"She speaks with a British accent," she said. "Should we be alerting UK authorities?"

"I want to find out how she ended up here first," I said. "My next strategy is going to involve trying to make this place more appealing. Maybe with colorful clothes of her choice, food of different flavors. I also want to talk with the staff about how they respond to her."

"That sounds good," she said. "I'm trusting you, Calista. If you need anything from me, I am only one floor up and my door is always open."

"Thank you," I said.

On my way to my office, I ran into Jim, the switchboard operator.

"Morning Dr. Melbon," he said. "I just left a message for you. A British police officer called."

My heart started beating a mile a minute.

"Thanks Jim," I said.

I ran to my mail box and pulled out message. It was from a PC Yasmin Khan.

What are the odd she likes to be called Yaz?

I went into my office and called the number. She answered on the first ring.

"PC Khan," she said.

"I'm Dr. Melbon returning your call. I have a few very important questions for you. Do you like to be call Yaz?"

"Yes!" she said.

"Next, this is very serious: Is the real name of the Jane Doe you're inquiring about, the Doctor?"

I could hear her crying.

"Yes," she said. "Is she there?"

"The Doctor had said friends, plural, can you afford a flight to Philadelphia? I can pay your way. I need you here."

"I'll max out all my credit cards if I have to," she said. "There are three of us."

"Next, I doubt you're calling in the capacity of an actual police officer, so I'll make it official. Give me your supervisor's name and number and I'll make something up so you don't lose your job."

"I don't care about my job," she said. "I care about the Doctor!"

"What does she like to wear?" I asked.

"Shirts with rainbow stripes on them," she said.

"I have more questions, but they can wait. Give me your information and I'll wire you some money to take care of expenses as I don't want you to max out your cards."

"Okay," she said.

I got her information and hung up. Next, I called Devlin.

"I have a big ask," I said as I wired money and looked up rainbow shirts for sale. "It's for the Doctor."

"No favor is too big when it comes to the Doctor," he said. "Name it."

"Bring every Alien willing to identify to the Neptune Café at Noon."

"You got it," he said.

Next, I called Detective Webb.

"I know everything you need to know about your Wilson Avenue Jane Doe. I'll tell you at the Neptune Café at noon."

"Why not now?" he asked.

"I have other patients who need me. I also have another request. Look up the unsolved murder of Elvira Maddison. I'll explain everything at noon. I promise."

Philadelphia was one of the few cities with Amazon's same-day shipping. I'd get the shirts in the afternoon.

It was so early yet the day had already progressed remarkably fast.

…

"Interesting case you had me drag out," Webb said. "Elvira Maddison was a foster mother who spent large sums on plastic surgery for her children. Ten had aged out while in her care. Four were in her care at the time of her death. You were among them."

"What else was odd about the case?" I asked.

"The level of overkill," he said. "Someone also carved onto her head 'traitor.'"

"It refers to the fact that she was harboring aliens in her house. Orphans of wars on other planets. A group had followed a pattern and they killed her."

"You're not saying what I think you're saying," he said disbelievingly.

"Look around," I said.

On cue, the aliens identified themselves. The extra eyes, pointy ears, purple skin tone, and tentacled hair.

"Are you?" he asked slowly.

"Yes, but I don't have a tell," I said.

"Is my Jane Doe an alien?"

"Yes," I said. "An important alien thought dead, but actually imprisoned and tortured. She is called the Doctor. When I was six, she saved my life, and relocated me to earth. The gibberish she was speaking was my native language. She doesn't know who she is, but she remembered saving me."

He took a deep breath.

"This is a lot take in," he said.

"I know," I said.

"She wasn't tortured here, was she?"

"She was tortured by the Cusickians on planet called Hartner before she managed to escape and ended up here."

He didn't say anything for a few moments.

"How do I explain any of this?" he asked slowly.

"You're a police officer, think of something," I said. "I need you to close the case."

"Who is she?" he asked. "I mean, all these aliens risked exposure just to prove a point to me. Is she that important?"

Devlin appeared.

"She is the most important alien in the universe. Savior or worlds, protector of Earth. Every story about something bad involving aliens you read online, or in the newsstands, is related to her absence. We need her back."

"I'll close the case," Webb said.

The café owner appeared suddenly.

"Everybody revert, and get out!"

The owner was clairvoyant. I grabbed Webb by the arm, as Devlin and I rushed out.

We were ten feet away when the building exploded.

"That's not coincidental, is it?" Webb said.

"You report it as a gas leak and I'll take care of the investigation," Devlin said. "That was a warning."

"As terrifying the implication of this is," I said shaking slightly. "I have work to do."

"That you do," Devlin said. "Help the Doctor."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

Ryan was barely sober enough to board the plane.

"So, the Doctor is alive in America?" he said drowsily.

"Yes, Ryan!" I said as we boarded. "She in a behavioral health hospital in Philadelphia."

"So, a nut house," he said.

"Ryan," Graham said. "That's not nice. Yaz had the woman on speaker phone. This Calista Melbon could have easily dismissed us as the nutty ones, but she didn't. She even paid for this trip in full."

"Whatever," Ryan said as he settled into his seat.

"Ryan we're a team," I said. "We need to be there for the Doctor."

"The world is too messed up," he said dully. "Getting her back won't make a difference."

I glared at Graham. He threw his hands up.

"If we slap him, we might get thrown off the plane."

"Ryan," I said desperately. "It is never too late for hope. We need the Doctor just as much as she needs us."

"A few months back, a couple mates of mine went backpacking through Europe. Just before they died, they posted footage of these things that looked like aliens. How is she going to bring them back!?"

"When we get to her, we'll find a way to make things right as much as we can," I said.

"Whatever," he said and closed his eyes.

Graham and I exchanged a look. We were lucky we managed to get Ryan onto a plane. This was going to be harder than I thought.

…

A woman dressed in a gray and white business suit whose hair was brown with blond highlights appeared. She was holding a sign with our names on it.

"I'm Dr. Melbon," she said. "Do you need to collect baggage?"

"No," I said. "We packed our carry-ons"

"Yaz, right?" she said. "Who is Graham and who is Ryan?"

"I'm Graham and this is Ryan,"' Graham said.

"Hi," Ryan said dully.

"I know you must have a lot of questions for me as I have for you, but let's get in my car first," she said.

We walked to her car and she helped load our bags in. Then I took the front seat while the boys sat in the back.

"Okay," she said. "I'll start. How did you find me?"

"For the last three weeks the Doctor has been communicating with me through dreams," I said. "She's always scared and she doesn't always make a lot of sense. One night she sang Eye of Tiger which mad Graham thing she might be in Philadelphia. I asked and she seemed to confirm it. She mentioned you by your alien name, so we Googled hospitals for someone with a variation of your name."

"Very clever," she said. "Your turn. Ask anything."

"How is she?" I asked.

"That's a loaded question," she said. "She's been hurt, badly."

"How?" Ryan asked.

"There's a race called the Cusickians. They're an ancient alien race of torturers. Their survival is dependent on how much terror and despair is in their atmosphere. It is like their oxygen."

"How do you know so much about them?" Graham asked.

"Aliens have been coming to earth since the beginning of time," she said. "We blend in and pool resources. I knew of the Cusickians as a child as my aunt had escaped them, but learned more from other aliens."

"So, wait did the aliens, build the pyramids?" Ryan asked.

She smiled.

"I can't confirm or deny anything."

Her phone rang.

"I have to take this," she said and put on an ear piece.

"Yes," she said and suddenly turned on the speaker phone. "I have passengers who might want to hear this."

"They found an odd blue box on the Wall of China."

"What!" we all said at once.

"Don't worry I've got people who are getting it off and sending it rush delivery to Philly," the man said.

"Thanks Devlin," she said and hung up.

"What's the TARDIS doing in China?" I asked thoughtfully.

"She's looking for her owner," Melbon said.

"The Doctor said she rescued you as a child," I said. "What is your story?"

"I come from a planet called Newmania. The Daleks had killed my parents in front of me and were about to kill me, when a man wearing a bowtie appeared. He told me to hide and later found me. He was funny and desperate to cheer me up as we tried to find a planet that would host me. But that quadrant had been decimated by Daleks so he ended up on Earth, where a foster mom was taking in aliens. That man on the line was foster brother."

"What happened after that?" Graham asked.

"My foster mother was killed by alien hunters and I bounced through the system," she said. "I'm not really that interesting. What does the Doctor like to eat?"

"That TARDIS has a peddle you press and it produces, custard creams," I said. "She also loves fried egg sandwiches and apples, and tea."

"What kind of torture did she go through?" Ryan asked.

"Think of what you learned about the Nazis and ramp up the torture element by a hundred percent at least," she said.

"Dr. Melbon," I said seriously. "What aren't you telling us?"

"She tried to kill herself last night," she said. "It wasn't a very thought-out attempt but she tried."

I felt a tear rolling down my cheek.

Melbon put a hand on mine.

"It's okay," she said. "I'm here to help."

We pulled into a parking lot. None of us spoke as we entered the building. Melbon gave us badges and instructed us to sign in.

Taking the lift up three floors. Melbon guided us through the maze of halls.

"Yaz, I'd like you to come in with me. Graham and Ryan, you can observe. Yaz follow my lead."

We entered a room where two care assistants were looking in an observation room. I looked in and saw a woman dressed in white curled up so you could only see some of her blond hair. The Doctor.

"Are you ready?" Melbon asked.

I nodded.

"Doctor," Melbon said as she crouched a couple feet away from her. "I brought a friend you might recognize."

The Doctor looked at me. There was not a hint of recognition.

"She's no friend of mine," she said harshly and buried her face again.

"Doctor," I said softly. "It's me, Yaz. Your friend."

She looked at me again.

"They won't let me out," she said as tears fell. "They don't feed me enough. The pain is unbearable."

"Where is the pain?" Melbon asked.

"Everywhere!" she sobbed. "They cut me and kept cutting me and then painted my hair with the blood for fun. Then they made clean up my blood even as I was still bleeding, they made wash away all the blood. The blood was everywhere!"

"Doctor," I said gently. "You're safe here."

"No place is safe," she said. "Especially not my head."

She began to rock and sob.

Melbon began to sing. It sounded like gibberish at first, but then it started to make sense.

"The Hero rests her sword at night. The stars watch her sleep. The Hero dreams of saving lives. While the stars keep her safe."

The Doctor fell asleep.

Melbon gestured for me to come out with her. Ryan looked visibly shaken, as did Graham.

"Let's go to my office," she said.

It was a small, cramped office, but we all squeezed in.

"That went as well as I was expecting," Melbon said.

"That didn't seem to go well at all," Ryan said.

"She recognized Yaz, and that's a victory," she said.

"I didn't realize it was this bad," I said.

"I know you're all tired and jetlagged out of your minds," she said. "But I have a big favor to ask of you."

She pulled out a recording device.

"Tell me about every adventure you've ever had with the Doctor," Melbon said.

"One question," I said. "I understood what you sang in there. How? The TARDIS interprets languages for us, not her."

"It could the telepathic connection she shares with the TARDIS," she said. "And the fact that it landed on Earth is a good sign."

"How are you so calm about all this?" Ryan said angrily. "The Doctor is all messed up mentally. How is she going to solve the world's problems like this?"

"Have you been drunk three of the last four days?" Melbon asked him.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked.

She pulled open a desk drawer and withdrew a set of small packets.

"Put this in tea or coffee and it will clear out your system," she said. "I need level-headed people to help the Doctor."

Graham took them.

Melbon's phone rang.

"What is it Dev?" she asked and put it on speaker phone.

"Someone stole the Rocky statue," he said.

"That's tantamount to declaring war on the city!" she said.

"I know," he said. "How is the Doctor?"

"Not in mental shape to fight a war," she said.

"Well the war is coming to her I think," he said.

"We'll talk later," she said and hung up.

"Tell me your stories," she said. "I'll plug this into her room and maybe she'll remember who was before the pain."

"That's your best plan?" Ryan said.

"Have you got a better one?" she asked with an edge.

"Let start," I said. "Remember New Years?"

We start to talk and remember the Doctor, in hopes that she would remember who she was to us.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six:

Calista:

I was familiar with this dream. My parents had been exterminated and the Doctor was forcing them to make chase after him. I ran upstairs, pulled the drawstring, and climbed the ladder. When I get up though, there is someone already there.

The Doctor is wearing blue slacks and a white coat with its hood up. She is hiding behind her knees like I did as child.

"Hey," I said. "It's okay, I am a Doctor."

She looked at me tearfully.

"You can't fix what's wrong with me," she said.

"You're brave," I said. "I know you don't feel like it now, but you're incredibly brave, smart, and funny. You're the Doctor."

"I wish I believed you."

"There you are."

The Doctor I knew with the bowtie appeared.

"Calisobala," he said. "What a fine young woman you've become. And a Doctor at that."

"This is weird," I said.

"Do you know why Newmanian puts me to sleep?"

"No."

"We're ancestral cousins, you and I. Slightly different biology, but a similar language holds us together. Singing heals me in ways none of your medicine can. Sing something you love, sing something so personal, you're afraid to let out."

I knew what I had to do.

"Count the stars and I'll give a reason why I love you. Count the stars, don't ever stop. Because I'll never stop finding reasons to love you."

The Doctor curled up in my, attic stretched out and slept.

"Beautiful," the bowtie Doctor said.

"Thank you for saving my life," I said.

"Don't thank me," he said. "I'm just a ghost of your imagination."

…

I woke up. I quickly washed, changed, and left money and directions for how my houseguests could get to Lambert-Adams from here.

The traffic was still light when I got out. I didn't know what I was expecting, but I felt hope. For what, I didn't know.

Devlin called.

"Did you see the news?" he asked.

"Didn't get a chance," I said.

"Mannequins are coming to life Sheffield, England. Where are the Doctor's friends from?"

"Sheffield," I said.

"They're coming for her, Cal."

"I know," I said. "Anything else unusual?"

"The Superbowl trophy was stolen."

"Is someone trying to start a war here?"

"I'm guessing so," he said.

"I'm arriving at work, keep me informed."

"Sure thing," he said.

I pulled in, flashed my credentials and went to where the Doctor was being cared for.

She was sitting up in her bed.

"Can I get a menu, for what to eat here?" she asked. "I'm craving an Ice Lolly. Do you know what those are?"

"Follow me," I said.

"I'm starving, not starving as in I'm going to die if I don't eat. It's more like I just hungry for something sweet and cold."

I led her to the elevators. She looked in her reflection.

"I really need to gain some pounds. I hate looking skeletal."

I pressed the code for the kitchens.

"You seem different," I said.

"This is temporary, you know," she said. "I'll go back to the dark place again but that will be temporary too. I'm ready to fight, back. I'm tired hiding and crying."

"Good," I said.

We arrived in the kitchen.

"Feed her whatever she wants," I said. "I'll supervise. I don't think we have ice lollies, or popsicles, but we do have ice cream of every flavor, sorbet, and sherbet."

"I'll take lemon sherbet," she said excitedly.

We both took seats at the prep table.

"A small cup," I said.

She ate it quickly.

"Oh, that was heavenly," she said.

"Don't you get brain freeze from eating so fast?" I asked.

"What is that?" she asked.

"Never mind," I said. "Have you ever had a Philly Cheesesteak? We make a decent one here."

"That has actually been on my list of things to try," she said. "Did you eat breakfast? Make that two!"

"Cheesesteaks for breakfast," I said. "How Philadelphian."

"So, how's Elvira?" she asked as we waited.

"She was killed by alien hunters when I was seven," I said.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'll look into her death when I get my head screwed on better."

"Thanks," I said.

"Your parents would be proud of you," she said.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"Hey," she said and touched my shoulder. "I get the sense life hasn't always been easy for you. But I never forgot you. I kept you close to my heart, and hoped you'd turn out to be extraordinary, just as you have."

"Order up," the chef said.

I wrapped napkins around my neck. The Doctor didn't bother and dived in.

"Oh, stupendous," she said as grease and cheese dripped all over her. "Oh, this is divine."

I laughed. I had forgotten how good it felt to laugh.

"Calisobala Ak Melbodonia," a voice said. "We are here for you."

Suddenly I was being levitated. The Doctor grabbed my hand.

In a flash I was gone.

…

Wherever I was, I was cold. I realized I wasn't wearing any clothes. The cage I was in was small, only three feet wide and four feet tall.

"Calisobala Ak Melbodonia," a slithery voice said. "The last of her kind hiding on Earth. You will be a delightful addition to the collection."

"The Doctor will save me," I said.

"Not the way her poor mind is twisted."

I hugged my knees for warmth and began to mentally sing every song my parents ever taught me. I prayed they would somehow reach the Doctor.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

Yaz:

Just as we were about to head out. There was knock on Melbon's door. I opened it to see a man with short, fiery, red hair.

"Hi, I'm Devlin, Calista's foster brother. She's been abducted by aliens. You and your friends need to come with me."

Devlin grabbed a package that hadn't been opened yesterday, and then headed out.

"What happened?" I asked as we followed him out.

"My understanding is she and the Doctor were enjoying cheese steaks in the kitchen when, my sister was levitated and then in a flash, was gone. Or at least that is what I saw on the security footage."

"What are your names?" Devlin asked.

"Yaz."

"Ryan."

"Graham."

"What exactly do you do?" Graham asked.

"I run an information hub for aliens," he said. "Yes, I'm one. From Whitahusar, my planet was decimated by the now extinct Chibneans. I was one of two children among four adults. The adults were injured and couldn't care for us so I was sent to earth while the girl was sent to a planet called Elmoro."

"Why didn't they keep you kids together?" I asked.

"She had features that couldn't be hidden well on Earth and I would stand out on Elmoro. Not all aliens that live on the same planet share similar genetic makeup."

We arrived at his car and a man was already behind the wheel. His had slicked back blond hair and his expression was grim.

"This is Ernest," he said. "Ernest, meet, Yaz, Graham, and Ryan. Ernest is my lawyer friend who's got the Doctor out for us for twenty-four hours."

"Is she okay for that?" I asked.

"I got a judge to sign off on it," Ernest said.

"But is it safe?" Graham asked.

"I watched her body language on the video," Devlin said. "She seemed to be in good spirits."

"But after seeing her doctor get abducted?" Ryan said.

Devlin turned his head around.

"Look this probably isn't the brightest plan, but I want my sister back," he said fiercely. "The Doctor is my best chance at doing so. I need your help and hers."

"We're here," Ernest said.

We walked out and Devlin grabbed a pack from the trunk. Then we signed in like yesterday. The receptionist gave Devlin a message and he led us to up to fourth floor.

We found ourselves in a conference room. A woman with short gray hair and a severe look on her face was waiting.

"Who would like to tell me what the Hell is going on," she said angrily.

"Ernest would you care to give a demonstration?" Devlin asked.

He removed his blond hair and a set of blue tentacles with eye emerged.

"You're an alien," the woman said flatly. "Are all of you aliens?"

"Just me and Ernest," Devlin said.

"Is Calista Melbon an alien?" she asked. "The care supervisors have been suspicious of the gibberish she's been speaking, and is my Wilson Avenue Jane Doe an alien?"

"Yes, and yes," he said. "Dr. Melbon is my foster sister."

"I don't know how you managed to sweet-talk a judge into this twenty-four-hour discharge order, and I'm not sure I want to know. Just get her back here by ten a.m. tomorrow and if you bring back my doctor, I would greatly appreciate that too. She's in room thirteen. Come with me."

We followed her out and down one floor. The place was a maze. She then stopped in front of a room and used her keycard to open it.

The Doctor was sitting on her bed patiently. Her eyes lit up when she saw us.

"Hi fam," she said brightly.

"Doctor?" I said slowly.

"I know I haven't been myself lately, but Calista sang a song last night in my dreams, and it calmed the panic in my mind. I'm okay, for now."

"Doctor," Devlin said. "I'm Devlin. This is Ernest. We got you a twenty-four-hour pass to get out of here."

"A Whitahusian and Capaldian working together," she said. "That would be unheard on any other place but earth."

Devlin smiled.

"I think this is for you," he said and present her the package.

She opened it and her grin broadened.

She pulled out a set of rainbow shirts of four different colors.

"I brought shoes," he said. "And a coat."

"Give me a moment to change and we'll get a shift on," the Doctor said.

We left her to change. She quickly emerged.

I smiled. "You look more like yourself," I said.

"Thank you," she said

"You take the car," Ernest said. "I'll finish filling out paperwork."

"Got it," Devlin said.

We walked out of the facility and the Doctor took a deep breath.

"This is wonderful," she said. "Nice fresh air."

"Come on Doctor," Devlin said with a smile. "You're in for a treat."

…

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at a nondescript warehouse. Devlin used a retinal scanner to open the door.

"I feel like I'm in some sort of Men in Black movie," Ryan said.

Aliens of all shapes and sizes were working on various projects. Strange tech was everywhere. There were computer screens in every corner.

"Come on Doctor," Devlin said. "The real cool stuff is in the back."

The aliens respectfully nodded at us as we passed through.

We entered a room full of alien parts organized by size in different shelving units. There was also welding equipment and different tools.

"Well Doctor," Devlin said. "Can you build something that will find my sister with all this?"

"Yes, probably, hopefully," she said.

"How can we help?" I asked

"I need someone to monitor the news for anything odd in the last twenty-four hours," she said. "I could use an extra set of hands, and could someone make me a fried egg sandwich? I think better with food in me and I only had two bites of that delicious cheese steak."

"I'll make the fried egg sandwich," Graham said.

"I'll monitor the news," Ryan said.

"I'll help you," I said.

"Let's get to work," the Doctor said.

…

The Doctor was quiet as she worked. The only time she spoke was when she needed me to hand her something. In a constant state of motion, she wolfed down two fried egg sandwiches before noon. She was still cheerful, but clearly, she was concerned about Melbon.

We worked until one o'clock. She declared we were done.

Devlin appeared.

"What is it?" he asked.

The Doctor presented what looked like an inverted umbrella with arrow in the middle on a tripod with a metal board beneath it.

"It's a signal catcher," she said. "If it works, we should be able to board the ship and rescue Calista."

"I have weapons," Devlin said.

"Usually, I'm against them, but as I don't have a TARDIS or a sonic, we need reinforcements. I did quickly invent a frequency-jammer-lockpick though."

"Doctor are you up for this?" I said.

"I have to be," she said and put a headset on. "As for this to work, I'll have to sing in Newmanian. Let's get it to the roof."

Devlin handed us guns with holsters.

"They're like videogame guns," he said. "Just point, and shoot."

We climbed to the roof. I helped the Doctor set up her machine.

The Doctor then sang:

"Friends bring laugher every day. Friends bring joy that fills our lives as we play, no matter what our age."

The umbrella part spun and I, Graham, Ryan, Devlin, and the Doctor disappeared.

…

The air was full of green smoke. The Doctor looked sickened. I grabbed her hand.

"We need to keep moving," she said.

"INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT."

"That's my song," the Doctor said.

Aliens in scaly green suits with bright red helmets appeared. They started shooting at us. We ran down a hall. Devlin returned fire.

"Keep moving," the Doctor said.

We ran until we found a room with all sort of aliens in cages. The Doctor froze, rooted to the spot.

"Doctor!"

It was Melbon. She was in a small cage wearing no clothes. She looked terrified.

I looked to the Doctor. A vacant look appeared on her face.

"Dr. Melbon, sing," I said desperately.

"The spirits dance in the sky. The spirits promise our loved ones will never die, as they live in our hearts."

This jolted the Doctor. She pulled out her lockpick and unlocked the cage. Melbon hugged her. The Doctor let go to unlock the other cages.

Devlin appeared. He kept his eyes firmly on Melbon's face.

"We are brave, we are strong," the Doctor sang. "We are the Newmanians and we shall never fall."

In a flash we were gone.

…

We were back on the warehouse roof. I quickly threw my coat on Melbon. Devlin called for people to come up and assist with the aliens the Doctor rescued. We helped Melbon down the ladder. Devlin then ran ahead and produced a long coat for her to wear.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked.

"No," she said. "They measured me and observed. They wanted to keep me well-preserved for the collector."

"Please don't lie to me sis," he said harshly. "Did they hurt you?"

"No!" she said. "I really just want to go home Dev."

"Where's the Doctor?" I asked suddenly.

A quick search of the area revealed she was behind Devlin's car holding her knees, rocking, and breathing rapidly.

"Get her back to the hospital first," Melbon said.

Melbon knelt beside the Doctor.

"You did good today," she said calmly.

"I did, didn't I?" the Doctor said a in weak voice.

"Very good."

I sighed inwardly. I had a feeling our troubles were far from over.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:

Calista:

I changed into a pair of scrubs, once I got to Lambert-Adams. Sitting in my supervisor's office, she stared at me.

"Would you like to talk about it?" she asked gently.

"The that I've been hiding how one of our patients is an alien, that I'm an alien, or that I was just abducted by a group of them?"

"The last one," she said. "You are clearly not okay."

"When I woke up, they had removed my clothes put me in a cage that I couldn't stand up in. They then took me out. They measured my bust, hair, and forced me to produce bodily fluid samples. It was degrading and terrifying."

"I imagine," she said. "This alien that was released, helped you?"

"She did," I said. "She invents things. She managed to get me out of the cage and transport me home."

"She doesn't seem to be in good shape now," she said.

"The Doctor probably had a flashback of her own captivity. Part of me wants to bash my brother's brains in, for enlisting her help. But somehow, I know he couldn't have saved me without her."

"You have history with her," she said. "Tell me about it."

"Her race of aliens can change bodies. I knew her as a he when he saved me from being killed by aliens called Daleks when I was a child after my parents were killed."

"Oh, Calista," she said. "You've had it rough."

"What are you going to do about the case?" I asked.

"I think this Doctor woman needs to stay here, a while longer. I'm going to limit who has access to her to minimize staff gossip. I don't suppose I can talk you into taking some time off?"

"Just let me keep treating the Doctor," I said. "I can transfer the rest of my patients. She needs me though."

"I know," she said. "I'm risking your health by putting hers above yours. Please be careful, Calista. I want to see you before you clock out every day. Does that sound like a fair deal?"

I nodded.

"See the Doctor and then go home," she said.

"Thank you for everything," I said.

"Just please take care of yourself."

"I will," I said and left her office.

…

"I could never figure out which stopped bothering me first," the Doctor said staring into space. "The cold or the feeling of degradation of being without clothing."

"I think the degradation," I said. "Clothing is just used for warmth; the body can provide heat."

"You're right," she said. "They didn't give me that dress until the very end. They were preparing to kill me and wanted to leave me in that dress on a planet as a warning. I did get used to eating, drinking, and performing bodily functions completely naked."

"I'm going to be okay, Doctor," I said. "You saved me again."

"My presence here is causing a disturbance," she said. "I don't stay on earth this long often. I hear the staff talking. Someone's plotting to declare war on the city."

"I'm not going to let anyone hurt you," I said.

"If it comes between saving earth and me, don't save me," she said. "I'm all mixed up in the head. I'm not sure I'll ever be myself again."

"If I sing enough, will you?" I asked.

"I wish that were the case," she said.

I reached forward and she hugged me. She cried as she hugged me. I held her tightly and she rocked.

"The flames burn bright as we tell our tales. The flames burn bright as we fill our imagination beyond the brim. The flames keep our hearts warm, while the stories fill us with light."

She fell asleep in my arms.

I gently put her on the floor and left the room.

"The shirts I bought are rip-resistant," I told the care assistants. "Let her wear that one to bed and then allow her to choose another for the next day."

They nodded. Their curiosity was piqued, but I had a feeling my supervisor had spoken with them, as they didn't question my orders.

…

Devlin offered to take Ryan and Graham, and Yaz also. I agreed to keep Yaz, as I knew I could use the company.

We sat eating Mexican.

"Quite a day," she said.

"I know," I said.

"Tell me about your people," Yaz said. "Did they communicate through song?"

"It's not that different from Earth traditions," I said. "Songs were blessings for each occasion. The way the national anthem is sung at sporting events. A man would sing a unique song as part of his proposal, and a woman would sing a song for the wedding."

"That's beautiful. How are you able to remember so many of them?" she asked.

"We learn to sing our ABCs the way Americans do," I said. "Singing is just part of life at a young age."

"Amazing," she said.

"I'm going to shower and call it a night. Alien abductions can be so exhausting."

"It's good that you can laugh at it," Yaz said.

"Better than crying," I said.

I undressed and put a robe on. I turned on the water and put the robe on the hook.

"How did it feel to be examined like a pet?"

I jumped and looked in the mirror and saw a man with dark hair. There was a look of evil in his eyes.

"The last of your kind," he said. "Not even the Doctor or I can claim that title."

"Master," I said hiding behind a towel.

"You are very smart, Calisobala. I see why the Doctor saved you."

"Why'd you send her to the Cusickians?" I asked. "Why them?"

"Curious too," he said with a laugh. "I needed bigger weapons to destroy planets and they wanted a Timelord's agony to fill their planet. I'm coming to earth Newmanian, and this time I'm going to kill the Doctor for good."

"I won't let you!" I cried.

"You can't stop me!" he said. "I'll get to her and what's left of her mind."

He disappeared from my mirror.

I jumped again when I heard a knock on my door.

"Dr. Melbon?" Yaz said.

I tucked the towel around me. I opened the door.

"Call me Calista. The Master is coming for the Doctor. This time to kill."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

Yaz:

It was late at night when Devlin brough Graham and Ryan to Calista's apartment. Calista had changed into some sweats.

"So, the Master is coming to kill the Doctor," Devlin said.

"That's the sum of it," Calista said.

"What do we do to prepare?" I asked.

"I have some booby traps I can arrange around the hospital," Devlin said. "I also have satellite sensors arranged for the appearance of the Master."

"I thought you were in the information business?" Graham said.

"Preparing the earth for alien invasion is one of my side jobs," he said with a shrug.

"How is the Doctor, Doctor Melbon?" Ryan asked.

"Everyone, call me Calista," she said. "She's back to talking and crying about her experiences. She's not going to be ready for a battle with the Master. I know you saw how she could bounce back, but I'm not sure being exposed something akin to what she experienced helped her recovery."

"Should we be camping out at the hospital?" Ryan asked.

"It's not the worst idea I've heard," Devlin said. "I can arm them."

"If the Master is as clever as I think, he won't hesitate to kill you first before you can get a shot off and then the Doctor," Calista said.

"But wait," I said. "The Master is a showman above all else. He'll want to kill her publicly."

"It's winter in Philly, Yaz," Devlin said. "There is no real public venue."

"Then something similar," I said racking my brain. "The Rocky steps!"

"The biggest cliché in the world," Devlin said with a roll of the eyes.

"She's onto something, Dev," Calista said. "The statue was stolen. It makes sense."

Calista's phone rang. She looked nervous.

"That's the hospital."

She put it on speaker phone.

"Doctor Melbon, your Jane Doe is thrashing around and screaming. Screaming that the Master is coming. Something about him taunting her and hearing his heartbeats."

"Restrain her but don't sedate her," Calista said. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

She hung up.

"What do we do?" Ryan asked.

"We might be too late, if the Master is already in her head," Graham said.

"He's a showman," Devlin said. "He'll abduct her and then kill her later."

Calista dialed her phone.

"Security," a voice said.

"This Dr. Calista Melbon code three-five-four. I want the hospital on lockdown. Be aware of a man with dark hair appearing to be of Indian descent. Check and double-check all passes and the logbook for any names that shouldn't be there."

"You got it Dr. Melbon-wait who are you-AHHH"

"Too little too late, Calisobala," the Master said over the line. "The Doctor will be mine."

"The giants of fire and fury," Calista sang in Newmanian. "Are no match for hero with a heart filled with hope and love."

There was nothing on the line. A hint of someone snoozing could be heard.

"That was brilliant sis," Devlin said.

"I'm not sure how long that will hold," she said. "At this hour, I'm still fifteen minutes from the hospital."

"What about police?" I asked.

"No time for them either," Devlin said getting. "Do you remember how Gordonalo loved to mess with engines?"

"Why are you bringing this up now?" Calista aske irritably. "He's been dead for five years."

"His people aren't. They modified my car for me. It's supercharged."

"No time to lecture you," Calista said. "Let's go!"

We quickly left her apartment.

…

I love a good rollercoaster, but riding in Devlin's supercharged car was the scariest thing I have done, outside of my experiences with the Doctor.

"I think I'm going to puke," Ryan said.

"Swallow it," Devlin said. "We've got a Doctor to save."

Calista used her badge to get us in. We went into the basement where security was located. Calista entered the combination.

The Master was still snoozing on the floor.

"I don't have any guns that'll kill him," Devlin said. "But this should slow him down."

Devlin shot the Master in both legs. He didn't stir. Ryan then helped hogtie him.

"I'll put him in a holding cell I have in my building. Ryan just help me carry him there."

He nodded.

"Be careful," Calista said.

"I will," Devlin said.

"What now?" Graham asked.

"Let's try to calm the Doctor," Calista said.

…

She looked more terrified than I had ever seen her. Her eyes were wild with fear.

"He's going to kill me!" she shouted. "He's going to kill me!"

"Doctor," Calista said. "Look into my mind. He's been incapacitated for now."

She knelt down and allowed the Doctor to touch her forehead. A look of horror appeared on Calista's face.

"Call Ryan!" she said.

I tried, but he wasn't picking up.

"What's going on, Calista?" Graham asked.

"The Doctor unearthed a buried memory in me," she said as tears poured down. "I had gone in the kitchen late at night and heard Devlin on the phone speaking an odd language. He was ordering the death of my foster mom!"

"I'll find Ryan!" I said.

Calista handed me her pass.

"Take this to get back in."

I ran like hadn't ran since I was with the Doctor.

I found Ryan in snowbank with a head wound.

"Ryan!" I screamed. "RYAN!"

"Not so loud," he muttered.

"Your alive!" I said.

"They only knocked me out," he said. "Everything's a little fuzzy."

"We've got to get you to the hospital," I said.

"Forget that," he said. "Calista's foster bro is in cahoots with the Master."

"But you could have brain damage," I said.

"They wanted me as a witness," he said. "They didn't hit me that hard."

I called Calista.

"Ryan's okay-ish," I said. "He got a nasty blow to the head, but he claims he's okay and I'm buying that for now."

"As much as I care about Ryan, we've got bigger problems," Calista said with a quiver in her voice.

I put it on speaker phone.

"What?" I asked.

"The Doctor can hear them: Daleks."

I looked up. Space ships were filling the sky.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten:

Calista

My brother is the reason my foster mother is dead, the aliens that destroyed my home planet were invading earth, and I was naked in a cage on a spaceship, eight hours ago. If anyone had a right to fall apart at this moment, it should be me.

"You okay, Calista?" Graham asked.

"I'm fine," I said.

"They're coming!" the Doctor said as she thrashed. "The Daleks are coming!"

I had tried singing to her, but she screamed. She was in a total state of panic.

Ryan and Yaz appeared.

"What do we do?" Ryan asked.

"My brother has all the resources," I said. "I really don't know."

"GIVE US THE DOCTOR!" the Dalek screamed.

The door broke down and a gray Dalek appeared.

I was staring in the face of death again.

"Don't kill her!" the Doctor shouted.

She slipped out of the restraints and got off the bed.

"Take me," she said. "Take me and end it all."

"No!" Yaz screamed.

Then I saw it. The Doctor pulled something out of her sweatpants. She pressed a button in on it.

An unearthly screech came from it. The sound was deafening. Windows exploded. I plugged my ears and when I looked up, the Daleks were in pieces.

"Doctor?" I said slowly as my ears were still ringing.

The Doctor pressed a second button. The building rocked slightly.

"What did you do?"

"Your brother is evil," she said. "I figured that out from the tech he was harvesting. I couldn't find the right time to tell you between my brain going splat, and him being present."

"What did you do?" Yaz asked.

"I wasn't just building a rescue device for you," she said. "Once I realized what he was up to, I had to rig something. So, I created this compressed sonic blaster for my protection. I also created a bug that would scramble and blow up every weapon in his arsenal."

"Wow," Ryan said.

The Doctor took a wobbly step.

"Oh, the Master is threatening to kill me painfully and slowly," she said. "The usual."

I suddenly felt dizzy.

"On the roof," a soothing voice said.

"Come on," I said. "To the roof."

"Why?" Graham said.

"Trust me," I said. "I'm a doctor."

"You heard her," the Doctor said. "I trust her."

They followed me out.

"How long have you been able to get out of those restraints?" I asked.

"Since the beginning," she said. "I've been chained up worse. Those are quite comfy in some ways."

I entered the code for the roof.

"I haven't had a chance to thank you for the hangover cure," Ryan said. "What was in it?"

"A compound derived from sweetened soda," I said. "A friend is working on patenting the formula, and gave me a few samples."

We got on the roof and people in blue robes with four ears appeared.

"Coburnians?" I said. "I thought the Daleks destroyed your planet just before Newmania."

"Twenty of us survived by escaping on a ship using a hyper drive that sent across the galaxy."

One of them came closer to the Doctor.

"I am Holmesial. You saved my life by freeing me from the cage," the Coburnian I recognized as a woman said.

"I was doing what was right," she said.

"I summoned my people, to rescue me once I saw what was going on at Devlin's facility."

The Doctor took a step back and fell to her knees.

"He's getting louder!" she said. "He says he's going to show no mercy. He's going to-AHHH!"

She fell on her side screaming. Yaz, Ryan, and Graham looked on in horror.

Two more women stepped forward. They brought out a blue metallic square patterned blanket and laid it over her whole body.

"What are you doing?" Yaz asked.

"Isn't that a birthing blanket?" I said. "It heals the mother after pregnancy."

"It has other uses," Holmesial said.

The Doctor twisted and contorted under the blanket. Her screams could be heard through the blanket. Eventually, the screaming and flailing stopped.

The Coburnians gently lifted of the blanket. The Doctor was drenched in sweat. She turned on her side and threw up green liquid for a solid minute. When she tried to get up, she wobbled, and the Coburnians caught her. Then she steadied herself and stood up.

"That was no fun," Doctor said. "But I probably needed that."

"What just happened?" Graham asked.

"Alien mental health therapy at it's finest," she said. "It turns all the bad emotional stuff into something that can be flushed out of the body, such as through vomit and sweat."

"It only takes care of the surface memories," Holmesial said. "The deeper ones need to be addressed in a conventional human setting."

The Doctor shivered.

"We need to get you out of those damp clothes," I said.

"But Daleks are calling for reinforcements, the Master is still in my head and threatening to kill me, and your brother is bent on destroying earth with the other mentioned entities."

"We can hold them off," Holmesial said. "We did not come alone. You will freeze in these elements if you don't care for yourself."

A Coburnian woman stepped forward with red metal box.

"You might want to change into this," she said.

The Doctor opened it.

"Shoes, my coat, everything. How?"

"We heard stories of you, and managed to replicate what you lost from descriptions."

"Let's get out of here," the Doctor said and then bowed to the aliens. "Thank you."

They bowed back.

"We'll be seeing you, Calisobala," Holmesial said.

I nodded.

We got off the roof.

…

I guided the Doctor to a shower and she cleaned herself up quickly.

"You're not okay, are you?" the Doctor said as she dried herself off.

"No," I said.

"I don't know how to talk to people about their feelings," she said. "I usually walk away, and end up coming off as insensitive."

"It's okay," I said. "It's built into you alien DNA."

She stood naked in front of me.

"I don't want to hurt you anymore than you have."

"I'm going to be okay," I said weakly.

The Doctor hugged me.

"I see you hand shaking, brave warrior," she sang Newmanian. "You are not weak. Rest my brave warrior, and I'll carry your burden for you."

"How do you know that song?" I asked.

"I'll tell you later, if we survive," she said.

She changed into the clothes the Coburnians gave her. The Doctor stepped out to where Yaz, Graham, and Ryan were waiting.

"I don't have a plan, but maybe I will when we meet the Master and Devlin. Let's get a shift on."

Yaz, Ryan and Graham smiled. Their faces were full of hope. I still felt like a mess, but I also believed in the Doctor.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven:

Yaz:

The Doctor could hear the Master telling her come to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Unfortunately, it was across town, and we had no way of getting there.

A quick solution was found though. Calista called up a friend who worked the night shift, and asked if we could borrow her car. Luck was on our side as she agreed.

"It seems like we're walking right into a trap," Graham said.

"I know," the Doctor said. "But it's either earth or me."

"Please tell me I'm not driving you there to get yourself killed," Calista said.

"No," she said. "I'll find a way to live. I promise."

Daleks were filling the streets. Calista had to veer off the road a couple times to avoid them. They seemed to only be wandering around, and not killing.

"They're waiting for orders," the Doctor said.

"You okay, Calista?" Ryan asked.

"I could be better," she said. "How's that head wound?"

"I'm fine," he said.

"We'll take you to a proper doctor if we survive all this," she said.

"Here's to hoping for survival."

The Doctor suddenly moaned.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Bad headache. But now I have a plan. Calista, you talk to your brother while I talk to the Master."

"That's your plan?" Calista said.

"It's a work in progress," she said.

We arrived in front of the steps. The Doctor got out and ran up the steps, as we followed closely behind.

Devlin and the Master were at the top. Surrounded by Daleks.

"Well I can cross running up the Rocky steps off my bucket list," the Doctor said lightly.

"Quick with a joke as always," the Master said. "Even while facing death."

"Devlin," Calista said. "I loved you as though you were my actual brother. Why are you doing this?"

"I didn't want the surgery to look like humans!" he said angrily. "Why do we have to conform to their appearances or risk getting killed? It's not fair!"

"I know, but that's no reason to align yourself with a maniac!" Calista said.

"I want the earth to burn," he said. "Humans should have to live in fear like us. It is their turn!"

"Master," the Doctor said. "You have one last chance. Please don't do this."

"I don't need you on your knees this time," he said. "Goodbye for good. Doctor."

He pulled out a gun and the Doctor snapped her fingers.

The TARDIS materialized around the Master.

"I have to end the killing," the Doctor said. "I'm sorry."

The TARDIS flew high into the air. Then the doors opened and the Master fell out with a bone-crunching slam into the ground.

"Daleks," Devlin said. "Kill them all!"

"What right do you have to command us!?" they said.

"He has none," the Doctor said. "Beta, Consilo Ajeha."

Devlin raised his hands.

"I had nothing to do with the destruction the Alpha sector of Daleks," he said.

"He's a lot older than he looks," the Doctor said. "His race matures three times faster than humans, while maintaining the appearance of a child. I know of you Devlinkanor, you were a major who killed the first Dalek."

The Dalek looked at the Doctor.

"The Doctor does not lie!"

"You'll pay for that."

He aimed a handgun at the Doctor as Calista ran in front of her. The Daleks exterminated him just as he got a shot off.

"Calista!" I yelled as I approached her.

"Another time, Doctor," the Daleks said and beamed up.

I checked her pulse and burst into tears.

"She's alive!"

"How?" Ryan asked.

"It's her alien biology," the Doctor said. "It takes a powerful gun to kill a Newmanian. Standard guns don't work."

The Doctor pulled the bullet out of Calista's clothes. Calista moaned.

"That hurt."

"I bet it did," she said.

"What are we going to do about the Master?" Graham asked. "Can't he regenerate?"

"You're right, Graham," the Doctor said.

She walked into to the TARDIS and a ray gun appeared. It zapped the Master out of existence.

"I sent him to a moon on a distant planet," she said. "Maybe he'll come back less murderous."

The Doctor suddenly stumbled. I ran and grabbed her.

"I am spent," she said.

"You need to go back to the hospital," Calista said as she slowly got up.

"I know," she said.

Calista looked at us.

"Do any of know about driving in America? Getting shot at doesn't make me the best driver."

"I've driven every kind of street," Graham said. "I'll take care of it."

"Yaz, take Ryan to a hospital, there's one not far from here," she said sluggishly.

"Okay," I said.

I looked around. This had been the Master and Devlin's last stand. The fate of the universe had depended on us, the Doctor. The Doctor had won again. It filled my heart with joy.

"You did good today," I said to the Doctor.

"Thanks," she said sleepily. "Now I need a good kip and when I wake up, fish fingers and custard."

"Yuck," Ryan said.

Everyone else laughed. It was a long day, but a victorious one also.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve:

Three Months Later

Calista:

I went into the observation room and found the Doctor sitting in a chair.

"How are you feeling today Doctor?" I asked.

"Good, thank you," she said.

"Did you have any nightmares?" I asked.

"Yes, but I fought through it. It had no power of over me and I only woke up slightly sweaty."

"Would you like to discuss the contents of it?"

"I was be chained up and they were breaking my bones," she said. "The crunch was as terrifying as the pain."

"Tell me about how you fought through it," I said.

"I kept telling myself it was a dream and that I was stronger than it. I was going to survive."

"Very good," I said. "Today we're going to discuss discharge."

"Fantastic," she said. "What does it involve?"

"Yaz has agreed to take you in for two weeks after your discharge," I said. "During that time, you'll be seeing a counselor in Sheffield three times a week. Then you will need to see the counselor once a week for three months. Does that sound good to you?"

"Yes," she said. "What now?"

"We'll prepare for discharge at the end of the week," I said.

"Terrific," the Doctor said and offered her hand. "Thank you so much Dr. Melbon."

I shook it.

"You've come a long way, Doctor."

"I couldn't have done it without you."

I smiled.

…

I met with Webb at the newly opened Neptune Café, located one street over from its original location.

"Passport for a Jane Smith of Sheffield," Webb said as he presented them to me.

"I wish you'd let me pay you," I said.

"No need," he said. "The proprietor of this establishment is keeping me busy helping aliens since Devlin turned out to be a traitor. These aliens come in with all sort of objects that are good for sale on the black market."

"I'm glad you like your new job," I said.

"How are you doing?" he asked. "Finding out the brother you loved had a hand in killing your foster mother can't be easy to process."

"I'm doing okay," I said.

"How are you really?" he asked.

"Some days are easier than others," I said. "It's that simple."

"Listen if you need anything else," he said. "I'm here for you."

"Thank you," I said.

"Have a good day Dr. Melbon," Webb said as he stood up.

"You too," I said.

I sipped my coffee in contemplative silence.

…

Yaz arrived at my office on Friday a half hour before the Doctor's discharge.

"I'm trusting you to look after her," I said. "Loud noises, men in tight spaces, and certain smells, will agitate her. I have explained the situation to the best of my abilities to a doctor is Sheffield and I'd really like for her to try to make some of those appointments."

"I'll do my best," Yaz said.

"That's all I expect of you," I said.

"So, what's next for you?" Yaz asked.

"I don't know honestly," I said. "I like my job. Maybe I'll take some time off to travel in the future."

"You're welcome on the TARDIS," Yaz said.

"I know," I said.

"What is it?" she asked.

"After all these months it's still hard to get used to him as her," I said. "He was a bouncy ball of energy, and goofy grins, trying to make me feel better after, I lost everything. That leaves a strong impression on a child."

"I get that," Yaz said. "Good luck. Dr. Melbon. I hope to see you again in the future."

"I think you will," I said with a smile.

We met with the Doctor.

"Ready to break out?" Yaz asked.

"More than ever," she said.

"You just need to sign some paperwork," I said. "Try to read some of it."

She rapidly flipped through it.

"Done," she said. "Where do I sign?"

I pointed to the lines.

She carefully signed "Jane Smith."

"You're free to go," I said. "I'll walk you to the elevators."

The Doctor was dressed in her coat and suspenders, with rainbow shirt. As we waited for the elevators, she hugged me tightly.

"Good luck Calisobala," she said. "Thank you for saving me."

"We're even now," I said with a smile.

"I never keep count," she said.

Yaz and the Doctor waved as they got on the elevator.

I waved back, and then went to my office. I listened for the sound of the cloister bell, and was not disappointed. They were moving on. I couldn't be prouder.

…

I heard them whispering in my dreams. Quickly changing into jeans and a t-shirt, I climbed to the roof of my apartment.

The Coburnians were waiting.

"Come with us," Holmesial said.

"What about my patients?" I said. "My life here?"

"Others will take care of them. Come with us. Resettle your planet. Create a new safe haven where the Devlins of the universe can't interfere."

"I don't know anything about how to do any of that," I said.

"We'll teach you," she said.

I looked to the stars.

"You belong among them," Holmesial said.

"Okay," I said.

I stepped onto their ship. I knew I'd see the Doctor again one day, this time where I came from: Home.

THE END


End file.
